there’s a commonly held belief that the family “owns” all the swans in England, and they hold a five-day ceremony on the River Thames each July to perform a census of the local swans.

For hundreds of years, the royal family has laid claim to many of England’s swans. An annual count found a worrisome drop in cygnets along a stretch of the River Thames this year. By Claire ...

The custom dates back to the 12th century, when ownership of unmarked mute swans was claimed by the Crown to ensure a ready supply for feasts. The first Swan Upping of the King’s reign is under ...

THE population of young swans in the River Thames has fallen, as revealed by the annual census at this year’s Swan Upping. The Queen’s Swan Marker, David Barber, accompanied by representatives ...

Staines - Teams of census-takers took to the River Thames on Monday for the colourful annual count of Queen Elizabeth II's swans - a blend of science and ceremony that dates to the 12th century. By ...

As the Seigneur of the Swans, the Queen exercised only part of her right, on an 80-mile stretch of the River Thames from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey to Abingdon, Oxon. So while Her Majesty did ...

The swan has now been safely released back on to the Thames, not far from where it was found. Sally, one of the rescue team, said, ‘Sadly it is quite a common injury, but thankfully no damage ...

The King's Swan Marker was leading the "swan uppers" as they checked the health of young swans The quirky and colourful royal tradition of counting swans on the Thames has begun, for the first ...